The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, January 18, 1917, Page 7

An Appeal by Your Legislators Men Elected to the House and Senate of North Dakota Ask the Help of the People in Carrying Out the People’s Will Bismarck, N. D., January 15, 1917. TO THE VOTERS OFVTIIE STATE OF NOR"I'H DAKOTA ; We, the undersigned, members of the fifteenth legislative assem- bly of North Dakota, with few exceptions were indorsed by.the Non- partisan League and elected on the Nonpartisan League program. The League brogram, indorsed by 87,000 voters out of a total 107,000, as shown by the vote cast for Governor Frazier, demands state owned packing plants, flour mills, stock yards, cold storage plants, terminal elevators, rural credit banks, compulsory state hail insurance and exemption of farm improvements from taxation. We believe in that program. We believe that the farmers and voters expeect us to carry it out. We believe it is our duty. We believe we were elected to do all in our power to carry out the League program. We have the unqualified support of Governor Frazier and we want to do our duty. BUT UNDER THE PRESENT CONSTITUTION OF NORTH DAKOTA WE CANNOT BEGIN TO CARRY OUT THE LEAGUE PROGRAM. The present constitution does not permit the state to own and operate packing plants, flour mills, stock yards, cold storage plants, rural credit hanks, compulsory state hail insurance, to exempt farm improvements from taxation or to go into any business except the terminal elevator business, It has taken the people eight years to amend the constitution” authorizing the state to build a terminal elevator, but this amendment, which it took you eight years to secure, does not permit the state to sell terminal elevator bonds to raise the money to build elevators. If the constitution permitted, the state could isstie terminal elevator-bonds, get the'money to build an elevator at 4 or 5 per cent, aud out of the profits of the elevator set aside enough each year to pay the interest on the bonds and provide a sinking fund that would finally pay off the'bonds. ] ~ The money to build packing plants and flour mills could be se- cured and paid back in the same way. THERE WOULD BE NO TAX LEVIED ON THE PEOPLE. But the constitution does not permit . the state to issue terminal elevator, packing plant or flour mill bonds and pay them off in this way. We, League representativeés and senators and others whose names appear below, are agreed that if the League program is to be carried out North Dakota must have a new constitution. We are agreed that North Dakota should adopt a new constitu- tion as soon as possible so that we can begin to carry out the Leag'ue program this year. We believe that the people, and especially the farmers of tk state, are willing to give North Dakota a new constitution to earry out the League program. We believe we were elected and sent here to do whatever is ne- cessary to carry out the League program, whether it be-to change the statute law or submit a new constitution for your rejection or approval. - We, the undersigned, including practically all the League sena- tors and representatives, together with some others, are unanimously agreed that it is the duty of this legislative assembly to submit a draft of a new constitution that will permit us to carry out the League pro- gram and that this constitution should he submitted to you for your rejection or approval at a-special election to be held in June this year, Therefore, we have introduced in the house of representatives a draft of a new constitution to be submitted to the voters of the state for their rejection or approval at a special election to be held in June this year. : This measure will pass the house by an overwhelming majority, but the senate is in the control of those hold-over senators who oppose the League program and senators eleetod this year who are not pledged to the League program. These senators oppose submitting a draft of a constitution to the people at a special eleetion in June this year on the ground that the people have not said that they want a new constitution. These gentlemen admit thit Governor I'razier and the under- signed, representatives and senators, were cleeted to carry out the League program; they admit that the League program can not_be car- ried out without a new constitution, yet they claim they have no way of knowing whether the people want a new constitution or not. They propose to delay the program by calling a special election in November, 1917, t6 find out whether or not the people want a new constitution that will permit the program to be carried out; then to hold another election to piclk delegates to a constitutional convention, and finally, at a third election to submit the proposed constitution. THIS WOULD PILE UP A BIG EXPENSE ON BOTH THE STATE AND THE LEAGUE, DELAY THE LEAGUE PROGRAM AT LEAST TWO YEARS AND POSSIBLY DEFEAT IT ALTOGETHER. WE ARE UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSED TO THIS DELAY AND UNNECESSARY EXPENSE. We believe you paid your money and sent us here to have something done now. We believe you have waited long enough. You have voted six years for a state owned terminal elevator and we de not believe you want to wait six years longer. We believe you want something done immediately. We, therefore, unanimously propose that this legislature submit a new constitution to you to be voted upon in June this year, so that we can get something done now. If you agree with us and want action now we must have your active support. ! Enough senators will support the League program if they are sure you demand it. They assure us they are willing to serve you if they ean be sure of what you want done. i If you want us to begin to carry out the League program now, circulate the petition on page 6 of this issue of the Leader and send it in to the Secretary of the Senate, Bismarck, N. D., as soon as possis ble. Also write your senator a personal letter. Sig\ned by the following members of the house and senate (Geo. A. Reishus of Minot, who was out when this document was signed desires to be considered among the signers): RERRESENTATIVES SevaToNS DiSTRICT W I 2 @' i e rsrts 2iSTRICT /3 Frreatl AISTRICT A Z DisTRICT » st GRS 2 Al ArsSTRIST WS D et T Qe - QU Ettetact : Gy CILT T BiSTRICT 8P Disrmrcre g 2 trrcr - o D H Farilltrrs s rom e oK % : DigrmicT W 1P ISTRICr Y . ‘ 3.?/‘«/)14_00 DisTRICY @ @ @;;;—fl_’?'" L (225 DisTRIGT D 2O "’-’fl?l?rfg' uSTRICT P oy Al 5% %, (7"'"" 2 05 A2 2000 1 DisTRICT w2 % OB BISPRICTW 42 Crss Codessrs, Chrtndedd rcr WS ' Ak 4/“‘“ o IPphs QoS onndls fl%"‘a’ ayerricT#YY WsrRIcr wos Ly 5. ] Mfy DIBTRIGT B VS 4 nrsrkicr B s Asrrrer ¢ e DrarRICT * IP x Drarricrens fi-f ‘fm / { /W 734 MMZ(I/ :/mn:f » 35 - Drsrarer *¥EE 2isTRIGT® 26 Z”%" 24 : /‘P}{){ ’%fl% A0 ’z ?‘fklc?‘"l' b \ N ; ; P27 s S0 DisTRIGT K 1P i DrSTRIc T~ 2> rsTRIcT a; é‘l@“""&-fi (Pratin O C Manke. o ’ AR yreprnt? cr o 4o ity B [ SEVEN s,